Epitaph on Grave: HERE WAS BURIED THOMAS JEFFERSON, AUTHOR OF THE DECLARATION OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE, OF THE STATUTE OF VIRGINIA FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, AND FATHER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA.

Last Words: “Is it the Fourth?”

Potus #2, John Adams, and Potus #3, Thomas Jefferson, died on the same day – July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the United States. This was not a coincidence. Both men wanted to live only until this date. Daniel Webster, no relation to Noah Webster who wrote the Webster dictionary but a great man and public servant in his own right, gave the eulogy for both Jefferson and Adams, saying that Adams and Jefferson are no more.

Quotes from the eulogy for Jefferson and Adams:

“No age will come in which it shall cease to be seen and felt, on either continent, that a mighty step, a great advance, not only in American affairs, but in human affairs, was made on the 4th of July, 1776.”

“We can never, indeed, pay the debt which is upon us; but by virtue, by morality, by religion, by the cultivation of every good principle and every good habit, we may hope to enjoy the blessing, through our day, and to leave it unimpaired to our children.” (the blessing of liberty that was won by the Declaration of Independence because of the work of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson).

A new era started on July 4, 1776:

“This era is distinguished by free representative governments, by entire religious liberty, by improved systems of national intercourse, by a newly awakened and unconquerable spirit of free inquiry, and by a diffusion of knowledge through the community, such as has been before altogether unknown and unheard of America, America, our country, fellow-citizens, our own dear and native land, is inseparably connected, fast bound up, in fortune and by fate, with these great interests.”

Cause of death: Inflammation of the throat caused by a cold. He had been riding his horse in freezing rain, and he did not remove his cold clothes, but ate dinner in them. This gave him a cold and a sore throat. His doctors also bled him quite a bit, thinking that might help, but it probably made it worse.

Age at death: 67 years. 10 months. 3 days. 24,767 days total.

Location of death: Mount Vernon, VA, at home.

Time of Death: 10 PM Saturday

Last Words: “Tis Well”

Funeral held: December 18, 1799 at home

POTUS stands for President of the United States, and the first president of the United States is George Washington. I am collecting all of the presidential dollars in proof condition, and thought it would be interesting to look up their eulogies.

George Washington died on December 14 of 1799 and Henry Lee gave the funeral oration. Henry Lee was also called Light Horse Harry. He was a major general in the Continental army, a plantation owner, and the father of Robert E Lee and 9 other children (including a speech writer for Andrew Jackson, and Algernon, who died when he was one). This is what he had to say about George Washington, our first president. Henry Lee famously said “George Washington, first in War, first in Peace, and first in the heart of his countrymen.“

First I picture a seesaw with the 4 justices appointed by Republican Presidents on the right, and 4 justices (3 gals, 1 guy) appointed by Democrats on the left. Nobody’s feet is on the ground, and if anyone gets off or gets on they all topple.

Robert Kennedy Takes Altoids

John G. Roberts (Robert’s brother is John F Kennedy, Gee!)

Anthony Kennedy (Anthony Kennedy is a Ronald Reagan appointee, A for being the most senior member of the Supreme Court)

Clarence Thomas (Clarence Thomas is an HW Bush appointee, Anita Hill was opposed to his nomination)

Samuel A Alito Jr. (Sam I Am Altoids)

And now the ones on the left:

Singing Gals Bring Krispy Kremes

Sonia Sotomayor (so-so mayor)

Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG)

Stephen Breyer (not Adam and Steve but Adam and Eve, He breys about how the second amendment is not about the right of a private citizen to have a gun by his bed, but the right of states to be able to arm a state militia).

Elena Kagan (an Obama appointee who was the first female Solicitor General – the one who argues the government’s case in front of the Supreme Court)

Extra Credit: name who was in the vacant seat but died in February 2016.

This is how the Bible ends, if you want to skip to the end of the Bible to see how it all turns out. Jesus is speaking, or will be speaking. “Whoever will, let him (or her) take the water of life freely”. Have you taken the water of life? Open the floodgates of heaven! Let it rain! This is the KJV from Revelation 22, the last chapter.

Jesus says:

11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

150 + four score and seven years ago some of our parents brought forth to North America, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all people are created equal.

Now we are engaged in the 150th anniversary of that great civil war, that tested whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war (Gettysburg). We have come to re-dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this, although a little redundant-

Since, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground. The brave men, now all dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will long remember what Abraham Lincoln said here, just like it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living in 2013, rather, to be dedicated to the unfinished work which they who fought in Gettysburg have nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom— and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.